Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I feel bad that I haven't posted but this house is a bit under the weather. Well, Ben is under the weather and we're just all catering to his needs. Poor bugger has a virus that I am sure he caught at Gymboree (or Germboree as my corny husband likes to call it). In fact, I am pretty sure that I heard one of the mom's saying that she hadn't been to last week's class because her son, Jacoby, had been ill. Well, he was still snotting and sneezing all over the equipment, so maybe she shouldn't have brought him back just yet. Argh! I know, I know, germs are normal and even good. Kids need to build up their defenses by getting sick, etc., etc. But since Ben is a stay-at-home kid, he's only been sick once and that was when he was 3 months old (also after an interaction with other kids)...so is it selfish of me to want to keep my healthy baby all to myself and not deal with the sickies!?! Sure, he's only snotty, sneezy, whiny, sleepy and fevery (hehe, 5 of the "sick" 7 dwarves), but it's hard to watch him feel so miserable. This is a kid who is always into everything and constantly willing to eat anything he can get his hands on. Now, he's whimpering and we're having to force him to eat and drink. Not to mention that I just hate having to check his temperature...rectally...ouch. Sigh, I'm just whining. This is part of motherhood and I've been lucky he's been well all year and that he's not sick with anything more serious. I don't know how people handle it when their kids truly have something horrible wrong with them. On the positive side, I do get a lot more snuggles...mainly because he's too sluggish to escape. I'll take 'em when I can get 'em.

On a side note, does anyone else think Jacoby is a stupid name? I apologize in advance to anyone with a kid, nephew, grandson, etc. named Jacoby...but it sounds silly to me. Was Jacob not good enough?

On another note, when I go to these classes I really notice that Ben is seriously so much cuter than the other kids. Really, he is. Does everyone else think that when they take their kid to class too? If my kid was funny looking, would I notice? Cause some of these kids are funny looking. Yes, I'm mean and shallow - judging toddlers...tsk, tsk.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that I've added a new section of links for my friend's who have an online business.

So far, I've added a friend who makes the most delicious quiches - fresh and delivered within the CLT area. Interested in some great Javis Davis for your baby's room? Then Make Room for Style is the site for you! And if you are looking for handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts, check out the Pink Crocodile's Etsy store.

So, if you are selling, making or distributing goods on the internet, let me know and I'll add you to my sidebar under "Friends in the Biz"...provided of course that I know you and can/will vouch for the products! :)

Is anyone else disappointed with the new seasons of returning shows this fall? I feel like a lot of great shows may have jumped the shark, so to speak.

House: I loved the 2-hour season premiere when House was in the nutter. I really wish that they would have played that out a bit longer into the season. Now that he's back at the hospital and being "nicer," it's just boring. Something is missing. And I am so over the 13 and Forman "on-again, off-again" love story. I honestly don't care if they date or don't date, just make a decision and stick with it. And even though the old gang is back together for a bit, they've lost their spark. They need to introduce a love interest, not Cuddy, for House - how about 13? That would spice it up a bit. Overall, I'm bored.

Law & Order SVU: Does everyone look a lot older this season? Maybe it's the HD, but folks are looking rough. And what the hell is up with Christine Lahti, the new DA? God, she looks the worst of all. She is so irritating, bitchy, and angry. And why does she have a hard-on for Stabler? Thank goodness her last episode was tonight. The storylines this season have been weak as well, which is odd because SVU is usually the strongest of the Law & Order franchise. Also, whatever happened to the Benson/Stabler love interest from 2 seasons ago? Benson just got over it? Come on, you know she's still carrying a torch. Gimme back my old SVU!

NCIS: Okay, we get it, Ziva is a bad-ass and she has issues with her dad, with trust, and with her feelings. Can we move on now? Also, can we just cut the tension and have she and Tony get it on already? And why have the episodes so far had so little Abby? Hello, she's only the best character on the show. Get back to the basics NCIS.

Ghost Whisperer: We all know how much I love Jennifer Love Hewitt and this show, but this season is a little lacking. First, why the speed forward on the kid? Last season she was preggo, and then this season flash forward to a 5-year old? I get it, it's hard to do stories about the kid's special powers when he's an infant - but still it's odd to all of a sudden have this 5-year old wandering about. I guess it would have been nice to have seen more before the flash forward. Second, so is Jim just Jim again? Melinda is calling him Jim in front of everyone and in public and there have been no more "Sam" cameos. So, does everyone just think Jim came back to life (not likely) or is Jim still Sam but she just calls him Jim and no one outside of her circle thinks it's odd that she calls her new hubby by her dead hubby's name? Third, where's Camryn Manheim? She's been on so little and I miss her!! Fourth, Melinda is rarely at the store anymore - who's minding the store? Fifth, if we have jumped 5 years would Camryn's kid really be in college? Wasn't he like 15/16 last season, so this season he should at minimum be a senior in college not a freshman...right? Sixth, the storylines have been a little weak. I mean the big reveal last week was that Jamie Kennedy's mom was a lesbian. Really?

Dollhouse: I was looking very forward to the second season, and so far I've been disappointed. It's just boring. Thank goodness for more Topher and "whedon-isms" but the storylines have been so formulaic. Echo has an assignment, something goes wrong with assignment, Echo goes quirky and yet still fixes it, Echo gets wiped but isn't forgetting anything... Where is the meat Joss?? Where is the action?? I'm holding out hope that it picks up this week.

I have been watching Flash Forward, and was very impressed by the first episode. However, the last few episodes have been a downer. So, I'll give it a season but it needs to get back to the first episode awesome-ness. And Nip/Tuck is back this week, so I can't wait to see what craziness they serve up this season. Nip/Tuck always delivers!

Thank goodness for new shows like Glee and Modern Family. If you're not watching Glee, then you suck. Seriously, watching Glee just feels my heart with joy. And Modern family is great, well the gay couple on Modern Family is great...the rest is just filling. I honestly wish the whole show was centered around the gay couple because they crack my ass up.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Boys are a handful. Has anyone else had this experience? Even as a toddler, they are just into everything in a much more destructive manner than little girls. It's crazy. I cannot keep Ben out of the trashcans, toilets, cabinets, bookshelves, blinds, and dangerous corners of doom. Babyproof you say, I laugh at that suggestion. Mere mortal babyproofing cannot stop Benjamin. Why just yesterday he broke all the cabinet "locks" just to show mommy how feeble her attempts to control him are. Plus, he's so cute and has the act down.

He pushes his little toy over to the bookcase, for example, and plays quietly until the parental unit looks away...

then he stealthily pulls out the books and rips the dust jackets.

When he's caught, he looks up and smiles like "what, these old things?"

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Do you ever have a great idea (at least in your mind), but no know-how on how to make it happen? That happens to me all the time, especially when I'm kicking around business ideas with friends. I have decided that a lot of my enterprising problems could be solved if I had a) unlimited capital, and b) access to a website engineer.

Yet again, I have been beaten to the punch! For years I have been wondering why there wasn't a booksite like netflix. Seriously, why don't I ever invent these things!? I've been thinking it for years and years. Well, of course, it already exists. It looks cool, and I'm thinking of trying it because the CLT libraries never have the books I want unless I'm willing to be #52 on the waiting list. BookSwim seems like a great idea especially for a voracious reader like myself.

I've also started clearing out my bookshelves using SwapTree - it's an online trading community, all you pay for is the shipping when you make a trade. I had a lot of books, cd's and dvd's that James hadn't been able to sell yet on Ebay, but this way I get a book I want, and get rid of one I don't need anymore. Gotta do what you can in this crappy economy.

(Oh, and since I'm on a book themed post, I think everyone should join online communities like Shelfari or GoodReads. It's a great way to recommend books to friends and family, and to learn about books that you should read. I'm a member of both, so friend me.)

Wondering what’s been going on in the wonderful world of Ben? Of course! Here ya go:

-He has 6 teeth now (4 top, 2 bottom) and is currently cutting some more. He got his first two teeth at 4 months. Teething involves a lot of crankiness and crying.
-He rolled over, finally, at around 6 to 7 months. A little slow on the rolling, but he does things when he feels like it. I accept it.
-He is a happy-go-lucky baby, and finally started smiling in photos! Whew.
-He started crawling at 7 months. Apparently he wasn't fond of the rolling, so went on to crawling. However, he doesn't crawl on all fours like other kids. Nah, he's special. He keeps one leg bent in the ever-ready-sit position. You'd have to see it to understand, but he's fast and terribly cute.
-He has mastered the stairs. Well, just up. It was the first thing he did once he crawled. I have no idea how to teach him "down" for the stairs.
-No talking yet. Lots and lots of babbling and odd yelps and screams. Who knows when he'll talk.
-He can open doors, flush toilets, turn the lights on/off, pull all the books out of the bookshelves, break anything electronic, and basically get into anything he shouldn't be in. The baby proofing on the cabinets worked briefly, but he has now figured out how to pop those open too. *sigh*
-He has been walking in the past few weeks, but only when he feels like it and mainly when we're not watching. He cannot be enticed to walk towards you with food because crawling there is much faster (duh!). So, we just cheer him on when we catch him walking and he promptly rewards us by sitting down. What can I say, he's been this way since he was in the womb.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Is this what fashion has come to? A replay of the 80s and early 90s? Seriously?!

I mean, Katie Holmes has access to stylists and money -- but she's dressing like this? Acid washed jeans with pre-fab holes and tight-rolled!? Jesus. If Hollywood is embracing this style, there is no hope. I have already seen the god awful plaid shirts at Target. What else will they be rolling out to the masses? The 80s and early 90s were the worst fashions for women, IMHO - especially if you aren't model-thin. I guess I should have saved my doc martins - my mom always said that they better last me for the rest of my life since I paid so much for them. Guess she was right.

I have literally printed off 2 pictures of Ben since he was born. Thank goodness for grandparents! Let's not even mention that there are no photo albums (yet) and I haven't completed his baby book. I could say I am too busy, but that'd be a lie. I just hate doing stuff like this. Luckily my guilt has kicked in, and I have decided to get it done before his 1st birthday (less than a month people!). We'll see if I hit my deadline, or if it gets pushed back to Christmas.

Right now I'm playing on Mixbook to create a scrapbook for Ben using their "Baby Boy" template. It's nice because if you're a non-scrapbooker like me, it will totally do the pages for you and you just drop in photos, add quotes, etc. So quick and easy. Or you can just start from scratch, if you're cool like that.

All of these sites allow you to create online and share, and then order an actual album based off of the online creation as well. Great idea for gifts for the grandparents, newlyweds, new parents, new grad, etc.

I'm alive. I wish I had a good reason for being absent for almost a year, but I don't. Let's chalk it up to a mix of new motherhood, some depression, and just plain laziness and avoidance. It's not you, it's me. I still love you, and hope you love me - but I've just been in a fog. But, I'm trying to get back into some of my old habits, like blogging, in a hope that it'll help pull me out of my funk.

Right now I am multi-tasking while Mr. Ben takes a nap - blogging, online scrapbooking, and reading gossip. So, I must run but wanted everyone to know I'm alive and well and returning to the blogosphere. Let's hope I have something to say, and not just "today ben pooped a lot" - cause you know that just gets old (or at least it does for me).